COVID-19 cases cross 6,000-mark in TN, HC orders closure of liquor shops

As many as 600 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday (May 8), taking the total number of cases in Tamil Nadu to 6,009.

Three men died of COVID-19 including an octogenarian and as seen in earlier days, there were a number of children below 10 years among the newly infected.

Of the total 4,361 active cases as on Friday, 1,589 were linked to the Koyambedu market in Chennai, a health department bulletin said.

The market for vegetables, flowers, and fruits is seen as the biggest hotspot for the spread of the contagion in Tamil Nadu eclipsing the earlier single source (a Delhi event in which about 1,500 people from Tamil Nadu had taken part in March) for the dispersion of the virus.

The market is barred for public now and it is being shifted to suburban Tirumazhisai and Chief Minister K Palaniswami is expected to inspect arrangements at the new, makeshift premises.

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court ordered closure of liquor shops a day after they reopened, citing violation of guidelines, but allowed door delivery and online transactions.

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A bench of Justices Vineet Kothari and Pushpa Satyanarayana of the High Court noted that there were huge crowds before the shops and no social distancing was maintained.

Passing order on a petition filed by advocate G Rajesh, besides a plaint by MNM, the bench said there was total violation of its interim order issued on Wednesday (May 6), when it declined to stay a government order allowing resumption of sale of liquor.

Besides, the guidelines issued by the state government and the TASMAC, the sole retailer of liquor in Tamil Nadu, were also violated, it said.

However, the court allowed online sale of liquor and door delivery till the lockdown to check spread of COVID-19 was over.

After a dry spell of 43 days due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown since March 24, liquor sales resumed at the TASMAC outlets in Tamil Nadu except Chennai on Thursday (May 7).

On Wednesday, the bench had directed the government to ensure strict implementation of all appropriate rules, as notified by the state, including maintenance of social distancing at liquor shops while allowing the resumption.

When the matter came up on Friday, petitioner Rajesh submitted there was a total violation of the guidelines framed as per G.O.No 223 of May 5 and also the norms stipulated by TASMAC and the court.

Kamal Haasan in a tweet welcomed the ruling saying it has proved that trust in the court and truth will triumph.

மருத்துவர்கள்,காவலர்கள், தூய்மைப் பணியாளர்கள் உயிரைப் பணயம் வைத்து போராடிக் கொண்டு இருக்கின்றனர்.நடுத்தர மக்கள் வீட்டில் கட்டுண்டு இருக்கின்றனர்.ஏழைகள் வாழ வழியின்றி தவிக்கின்றனர். தற்போது டாஸ்மாக் திறந்து விட்டு, ஊர்கூடி கட்டிக்காத்ததை காற்றில் விடுவது நியாயமா? #தாங்குமாதமிழகம்

— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) May 8, 2020

“Doctors, police officers, and sanitation workers are sacrificing their lives and fighting for this cause. People from the middle class are restricting themselves to stay at home. Poor people are struggling without means to survive. Is it fair to let all the collective efforts taken by people go to waste by opening TASMAC shops again?” he tweeted.

“The verdict has proven that trust in the court and truth will triumph. People’s justice has been ensured. This is not a victory just for the MNM party. This is supposed to be a victory of unified thought that should be celebrated by all people in Tamil Nadu. This is the victory of Tamilians’ voice,” he added.

நீதிமன்றத்தின் மீது நம்பிக்கையையும்,சத்தியமே வெல்லும் என்றும் நிரூபித்திருக்கிறது இந்த தீர்ப்பு.மக்களுக்கான நீதி கிடைத்திருக்கிறது.MNM மட்டும் பெற்ற வெற்றி அல்ல இது.எம் எண்ணம் வென்றது என தமிழகமே கொண்டாட வேண்டிய வெற்றி. இது தமிழ்த் தாய்மார்களின் குரலுக்கான வெற்றி #வெல்லும்தமிழகம்

— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) May 8, 2020

DMK chief M K Stalin too welcomed the order and asked the government to not appeal against it.

நிர்வாகத் திறமையற்ற #குடிக்கெடுக்கும்_அதிமுக அரசுக்குத் தக்க பாடமாக, ஊரடங்கு காலம் முடியும் வரை மதுக்கடைகளை மூடவேண்டும் என்னும் உயர்நீதிமன்றத்தின் ‘மக்களைக் காக்கும்’ உத்தரவை திமுக வரவேற்கிறது.

மேல்முறையீட்டு முயற்சிகளைத் தவிர்த்து உத்தரவை ஏற்று அதிமுக அரசு நடக்க வேண்டும். pic.twitter.com/7HAAuRjNQX

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) May 8, 2020

A Shramik Special train, meanwhile, departed to Hatia in Jharkhand from Katpadi in Vellore District of Tamil Nadu. The passengers were patients and their care givers who had come to Vellore for treatment at CMC Hospital and got stranded due to the lockdown, General Manager, Southern Railway said on his Twitter handle.

The Shramik Special train departed from Coimbatore to Saharsa (Bihar) at 20:20 hrs on 08-05-2020 carrying 1140 passengers(guest workers) registered and noimnated by the Govt of TN. Thermal screening of passengers done and social distancing ensured while boarding and on board pic.twitter.com/OiKNUxPzVr

— @GMSouthernrailway (@GMSRailway) May 8, 2020

Similar trains had been operated in recent days from Chennai and Katpadi to ferry guest workers and others like those who had come to for medical treatment.

(With inputs from agencies)